Eagles fans maintain passion

Scott Reid, of Prospect, with one-year-old Lachlan and Dan Crawford, of Legana.

THEY often call themselves Beau Waters and Matt Priddis, due mainly to one of the duo's Priddis-like curly hair, and are constant fixtures at West Coast's Tasmanian matches.

Sacred Heart grade 1 teacher Dan Crawford and Country Club Tasmania golf course greens keeper Scott Reid are two of the more passionate Eagles supporters going around, and were yesterday doing their best to drown out the brown and gold army at Launceston's Aurora Stadium.

The two have been to all eight of West Coast's Tasmanian matches (seven at Aurora and one in Hobart), with two including trips from Queenstown for Mr Crawford when he was in a previous teaching post there.

"I've supported the Eagles since I was eight years old," Mr Crawford said.

"When I was young and deciding which team to follow, the Eagles were a very strong side and won the premiership in 1992 and 1994. I felt I was backing a winner.

"I'm very passionate and I could also be described as an unofficial fan recruiter at my school.

"But this proves to be largely unsuccessful due to the on-field dominance and popularity of the Tassie Hawks."

Mr Crawford, who was at the MCG with Mr Reid in 2006 when West Coast won its last premiership, went into yesterday's game believing the home team would win by 24 points. He wasn't that far off the money, with the Hawks winning by 44 points, 19.9 (123) to 12.7 (79), in front of 15,503 people.

Mr Crawford and Mr Reid are two of an estimated 2000 West Coast supporters in this state, the club told The Examiner.